RICHMOND — Stuck in contentious negotiations over new contracts, two West Contra Costa Unified School District unions have overwhelmingly voted in favor of striking if district leadership cannot adequately meet their demands.

More than 95% of members represented by the United Teachers of Richmond and Teamsters Local 856 separately voted recently to authorize strikes. That means about 3,000 district employees, from teachers and education specialists to maintenance and food service workers, could walk off the job if deals aren’t struck in the coming months.

“Our district needs to prioritize stability for our students, now,” United Teachers of Richmond President Francisco Ortiz said in a press release announcing the vote. “We are committed to do whatever it takes to win the fully staffed cl

See Full Page